Head Trauma

A brain injury accident can cause severe damage to the brain scalp, and skull. Most importantly, the consequence of head trauma may be a traumatic brain injury. Head injuries may occur either as a closed head injury, such as the head hitting a car's windshield, or as a penetrating injury. For instance, when the skull impacts a concrete surface, this may cause damage that ranges from mild to extreme. A severe brain injury leads to fatality in some cases. The CDC reports that annually there about 1.1million persons treated in US hospitals for a traumatic brain injury accident.

Trauma to the head is capable of damaging the brain even if there is no external evidence of damage or perforation of the scalp. Some head traumas can cause severe injuries that can result in skull fractures, blood clots between the skull and the brain, or bruising and tearing of the brain tissue itself.

Symptoms

Some symptoms of serious head injury may include:

Severe bleeding from the head or face

Loss of consciousness

Confusion and lethargy

Lack of pulse or breathing

Clear fluid drainage from the nose and/or ears

Head injuries may result from a traffic accident, workplace accident, sports related injury, a slip and fall, or physical assault. Many people have had one form or another of a head injury in their life, yet do not require a visit to the doctor’s office. Anyone that experiences any of the above-mentioned symptoms following a blow to the head should follow up with immediate medical care.

Causes

Head injuries may result from a traffic accident, workplace accident, sports related injury, a slip and fall, or physical assault. Many people have had one form or another of a head injury in their life, yet do not require a visit to the doctor’s office. Anyone that experiences any of the above-mentioned symptoms following a blow to the head should follow up with immediate medical care.

Brain injury is most likely to occur in males between the ages of 15 and 24, usually as a result of car or motorcycle accidents. About 70% of all accidental deaths and most disabilities that occur after trauma are due to head injuries.

Treatment

In the initial moments after a case of head trauma occurs, it is important for the victim to be treated in the following manner until he or she can be attended to by a physician or other professional medical experts:

Keep the person still. Until medical help arrives, keep the injured person lying down and quiet in a darkened room, with the head and shoulders slightly elevated. Don't move the person unless necessary and avoid moving the person's neck.

Stop any bleeding. Apply firm pressure to the wound with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. But don't apply direct pressure to the wound if you suspect a skull fracture.

Watch for changes in breathing and alertness. If the person shows no signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement), begin CPR.

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